The Walker's Haute Route (9)

Wednesday 30 August - Argentiere to Col de la Forclaz 

The rain had just about blown itself out by morning, but the mountains were shrouded in cloud. 

Bread, jam and coffee greeted us in the Salle a Manger at 7:30, after a slightly disturbed snooze in the dortoir. I have a single room booked at Forclaz tonight.

Mist over Argentiere

Starting at 8:40, give or take a short supermarket halt for food, we spent the day on Kev Reynolds' Cicerone guide's "Alternative Stage 2". It was a warm climb through mist laden trees, as the narrow gauge toy train rumbled far below, and Gaynor panted for breath.

The village of Le Tour appeared through the mist at 9:50. After passing some jolly campers in 'mizzle' (but waterproofs were not quite needed) we found ourselves at a nice cafe, Le Pcheu, near the gondola station. 

Outside the cafe in Le Tour

It was 10:15 when we left on a now sunny day with cloud clearing on Mont Blanc, though the summit failed to appear. Then on up past the gondola station, with marmots whistling in the distance - noises floating over the breeze - and on uphill under the relentless rumble of the 2-person gondolas.

Looking back to Le Tour

Lots of harebells, buttercups, rosebay willowherb, eyebright, and other delights such as Nottingham catchfly, alpine eyebright, yellow rattle and a variety of bellflowers.

Rosebay Willowherb

Ling (Heather)

The 2204 metre Col de Balme was reached at 11:55, and we lunched nearby in 10°C, with virtually no wind, but some needed gloves. Fleeces were definitely required.

Col de Balme

Nice brew of tea, plus cheese and tomato on a roll. Hawk on a wire. 12:50.

Looking down the valley towards Martigny

Trient Glacier backdrop

Descend towards Forclaz, meeting a couple in sandals before bilberry delays, and an undulating route to Les Grands at 2113 metres, 14:35. The refuge was shut. We caught up with two girls from Colorado who are on our route. 

There is a very fine new bench here at Les Grands. From the route to this place, the final descent along the bisse to Forclaz looks a steep haul. It's an optical illusion, as it is actually downhill. 

The old bench!

And so we ambled down to the bisse (an irrigation channel) by 15:50, passing the Americans who were most impressed by the control I exercised over the group, who all waited whilst I chatted!

On past noisy nutcrackers in the pines, to reach Forclaz by 16:30. Showered and washing done by 17:30. I sat outside the hotel with a coffee, then a beer, until 18:40, when the sun went down. It was lovely and warm until then.

The view down to Trient

The others slept inside, tired after the shortish day. However, they resuscitated themselves by 19:30, and we enjoyed a meal of soup, chicken and ratatouille and gnocchi and chips, then ice cream. That was excellent. 

Uno finished at 10 pm, when we all went to bed - Sue and Caroline having gone nearly an hour earlier.

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